ﻤـﺭﻜـﺯ ﺍﻟﻤﻴـﺯﺍﻥ ﻟﺤﻘـﻭﻕ ﺍﻹﻨﺴـﺎﻥ RIGHTS AL-MEZAN CE NTER FOR HUMAN “OPERATION RAINBOW” A Report on Human Rights Violations Perpetrated by the Israeli Occupation Forces in Rafah From 18 to 24 May Introduction Between 18 and 24 May 2004, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) carried out a military operation in the southern Gaza Strip city of the Rafah1, named “Operation Rainbow”. According to official Israeli statements, the alleged objectives of this military operation were to arrest wanted operatives and uncovers weaponry and tunnels between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. This operation started 3 days only after the termination of another IOF operation in Rafah from 13 to 15 May during which the IOF destroyed 120 houses; 92 of which were completely destroyed. Furthermore, the Government of Israeli had officially announced its approval for the destruction of hundreds of more houses on the borderline. Although only one tunnel was uncovered during the seven-day “Operation Rainbow” in Rafah camp, the military operation nevertheless resulted in the killing of 44 Palestinians including 18 children below the age of 18 years, the demolition of 400 houses; 117 of which completely demolished. Some 4,171 Palestinians were living in these homes. Over $8000,0002 of damage on the municipal’s infrastructure and major human rights violations. Therefore, strong of its mandate to monitor, document and denounce human right violations in the Gaza Strip, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights issued bi-daily updates on the situation in Rafah during the entire IOF operation. The reporting exercise concentrated on providing raw information and information on the military operation, including affidavits on the human rights violations, press reports and the international statements. Based on this verified and confirmed raw data, Al Mezan has prepared the present report which provides a complete overview of “Operation Rainbow” in terms of the military operations, the different human rights violations perpetrated by the IOF in the course of the operation, the actions undertaken by Al Mezan Center for Human Rights and the International and Israeli reactions and statements. 1 For a map of Rafah see http://www.palmap.org/Website/rafah/viewer.htm 2 According to a report by the Municipality of Rafah. 1 I. THE MILITARY OPERATIONS Stock Taking of Israeli operations Stock after 18 hours: Since the beginning of the operation, 20 Palestinians were killed, 7 of whom are children. 50 persons were injured. The movement of ambulances in the area of Tel Al Sultan in Rafah is restricted, contrary to an Israeli Army’s statement. Stock after 36 hours: A total of 24 Palestinians were killed, including 7 children. 50 reported injuries. Ambulance movement is still obstructed. Numerous cases of bulldozing of streets and destruction of property have been reported in Tel Al Sultan neighborhood. Stock after 45 hours: Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) raided a march in Rafah killing 8, most of them were children. This brought the death toll to 32 since the beginning of the IOF operation. Approximately 100 were also reported injured. Access remained restricted for ambulances to pick up the dead and injured. New cases of bulldozing of streets and house searches and arrests were reported. Stock after 60 hours: IOF also raided two areas of the city, killing 5 additional Palestinians and bringing the total number of persons killed to 37 since the beginning of the IOF operation. The siege of Tel Al Sultan neighborhood continued, causing severe humanitarian implications due to the destruction by the IOF of the water network making water supply impossible. The movement of ambulance services remained obstructed. Stock after 68 hours: The total number of Palestinians who killed in the town of Rafah since the beginning of the operation is 41, including 14 children. Some 103 people have been injured; more than half of them are children. The movement of ambulance services is still obstructed by the IOF. Dozens of cases of bulldozing of streets and houses in Tel Al Sultan, As-Salam and Al Brazil neighborhoods have been reported. Stock after 92 hours: At least 42 Palestinians have been killed by the IOF in Rafah. Another 112 people have been wounded. Israeli sources announced that “Operation Rainbow” would continue and that IOF forces would invade other sections of Rafah shortly. Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in the Tel Al Sultan neighborhood and other neighborhoods continues to deteriorate and is causing a mounting humanitarian crisis owing to the destruction by the IOF of the water networks, infrastructure (especially roads) and homes. Stock after 109 hours: Israeli tanks were still blocking the streets leading to the Tel Al Sultan neighborhood and Al Brazil as well as the main street connecting Rafah and Khan Yunis. 43 Palestinians have been killed in Rafah by the IOF since the beginning of the operation. Another 112 people have been wounded. The humanitarian situation in the Tel Al Sultan neighborhood and other neighborhoods continued to deteriorate. Stock after 121 hours: A total of 44 Palestinians have been killed in Rafah by the IOF since the beginning of the operation. Another 120 people have been wounded. The humanitarian situation in the Tel Al Sultan neighborhood and other neighborhoods continues to worsen due to the destruction by the IOF of the water networks, infrastructure and homes. There are reports about health risks due to mixed sewage and water in Tel Al Sultan neighborhood. Stock after 153 hours: According to Al Mezan’s documentation, at least 44 Palestinians have been killed in Rafah by the IOF since the beginning of the military operation. It should be noted that IOF killed another 15 Palestinians, all from missile attacks, during their incursion on 14 and 15 May, after an Israeli PAC exploded in Rafah. This brings the death toll in Rafah to 59 over the last ten days. 170 people have been wounded. During the same period IOF destroyed hundreds of civilian structures, including an estimated 300 homes in Block O, Tel Al Sultan, Al Brazil and Qishta neighborhoods. 2 Development of IOF Operations 17 May 2004 1 pm: the IOF closed the only road between Rafah and Khan Yunis to isolate the town of Rafah from the rest of the Gaza Strip. 18 May 2004 1 am: Israeli helicopter gun-ships fired two missiles on Block P in Rafah refugee camp killing 3 Palestinians and injuring 5 others. 3 am: Eyewitnesses reported that an Israeli tank fired at the guards of a construction site at 3 am this morning. After one of them escaped, the tank overturned the office container with a guard inside. He reported injured but could not be approached due to Israeli tanks is in the vicinity. 4:10 am: IOF tanks and bulldozers entered the Tel Al Sultan neighborhood and the Western refugee camp in Rafah. Israeli helicopter gun-ships fired two missiles on Bilal Ibn Rabah Mosque in Block Q in Western refugee camp, killing 5 Palestinians, on their way to the dawn prayer at the mosque. 4:10 am: the IOF entered Tel Al Sultan from the settlements of Morag and Rafah Yam. They attacked the Badr Camp, which was recently built to host Palestinians whose homes had been demolished in Rafah, and took control of all the streets in the neighborhood. IOF snipers took positions in high buildings and killed three Palestinians. 8:35 am: Israeli helicopter gun-ships fired two missiles on the Block Q neighborhood in the Western refugee camp, east of Tel Al Sultan. Another four missiles were fired 20 minutes later, killing two Palestinians. The two victims remained in the street and were not identified until 11.30 am when residents of the neighborhood managed to reach one of the bodies and to put it in a refrigerator. Several ambulances were exposed to Israeli fire when they tried to approach the area. The IOF made deep trenches in the main street connecting Tel Al Sultan neighborhood and the refugee camp of Rafah. The IOF also bulldozed a newly paved street in Tel Al Sultan. No reasons were given by IOF to justify the bulldozing. An Israeli tank fired a shell on a civilian car owned by the World Vision Canada. The car was entirely burnt and destroyed. A neighboring house was also affected. 19 May 2004 The IOF started house-to-house searches in the Tel Al Sultan neighborhood in Rafah in search of ‘militants’. IOF loudspeakers were heard in Tel Al Sultan calling all men over the age of 16-years-old to gather in a neighborhood school. Sources in Tel Al Sultan reported that IOF fired on men who left their homes after soldiers called them to gather in a school. Four men have been killed from IOF fire. The IOF also ordered men employed by the Palestinian Authority Police forces to ‘surrender at the police station’ in the neighborhood. The IOF entered, searched and partially destroyed (5) houses/ buildings in Tel Al Sultan area. At least (3) of them were being used by Israeli snipers. The IOF fired tank shells and opened fire on a crowd of hundreds of residents of Rafah as they marched peacefully to Tel Al Sultan to demonstrate against Operation Rainbow. 8 persons were killed and 43 wounded, mostly children. An Israeli sniper injured a girl and that IOF prevented an ambulance from reaching her. Some of the residents of the neighborhood pulled the child into a house to help her. In additional helicopters’ attacks, IOF fired missiles on Rafah refugee camp in the evening. A number of injuries were reported 10 pm: Ten Israeli tanks and three bulldozers stormed the eastern part of Rafah, moving through Salah Ad-Din Street.